How To Beat Caffeine Addiction

Let’s face it – non-coffee drinkers don’t realise the struggle that we go through before we’ve had our morning coffee. Before it, you feel sleepy and unmotivated. Without it, your day is guaranteed to be a disaster.

Feeling extra-jittery and stress could indicate that your body is taking in too much caffeine and if you’re sick of feeling like a cup of coffee is ruling your life, you might be suffering from caffeine addiction (yes, it is a real thing and yes, you can get help for it!).

Despite caffeine having many benefits, there are also multiple harmful effects that can be inflicted on your body. Here’s how to beat caffeine addiction without it ruining your life:

What are the benefits of quitting caffeine?

Before you have your heart set on living a super healthy lifestyle, you might want to look into why beating caffeine addiction can be a good thing. Here are some things you may experience by drinking more than 3 caffeinated drinks per day:

How to cut out caffeine gradually

If you plough full steam into beating your caffeine addiction, you might struggle going cold-turkey. The best option is to gradually decrease your consumption and let your body adjust to its new caffeine supply.

You can also try the following techniques:

Find other alternatives

Many caffeine-addicts turn up their nose when they heard the words ‘decaf coffee’. “Why would I want coffee without the caffeine? That’s exactly why I’m drinking it – give me all the energy!”.

However, making the switch to decaf alternatives can have surprising effects on your body. Containing antioxidants that combat ‘free radicals’ in your skin, your overall appearance can improve as signs of ageing (i.e. wrinkles, sagging skin and fine lines) become less visible.

Herbal coffees also make an excellent alternative to caffeine-packed drinks as they contain chemicals that balance your body’s natural chemicals and hormones.

Explore other ways to feel revived

One of the most common reasons for downing a caffeine-packed espresso shot is to feel more invigorated. However, there are multiple ways that can help you to achieve the same feeling without the excess chemicals.

Drink plenty of water

Because caffeine is a diuretic, it can cause your body to lose essential fluids. The best way to combat this is to ensure that you’re drinking plenty of water when you make the steps to gradually cut out caffeine.

Create a short-term plan that can help your body to adjust to the new fluids you’re taking in. On day one, swap one drink for a glass of water. A few days later, swap two of your caffeinated drink for two glasses of water. Do this until you’re only drinking water.

Dealing with withdrawal symptoms

Depending on how much caffeine you drink, your body may experience a shock when you go from 9 coffees a day to zero. You may find yourself suffering from these symptoms:

Whilst there is no magic cure for these withdrawal symptoms, they will only last a few days after you’ve cut your intake. In other words, you won’t be suffering for too long and you’ll begin to experience the benefits of cutting caffeine addiction in no time!